2016 Hyundai Sonata
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 723 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 8th highest complaint count among 26 Sonata model years with reports.
Of the 2016 reports, 19 involved a crash and 28 involved a fire. 19 people were injured and 1 person died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Exterior lighting, turn signalSep 24, 2021
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Sonata, 2016-2017 Sonata Hybrid, and Sonata Plug-In Hybrid vehicles. The Smart Junction Box (SJB) software logic may not properly interpret the signals received from the multifunction switch, which could cause the turn signal to activate in the opposite direction of what the driver intended.
A turn signal that activates in the opposite direction of what was intended by the driver increases the risk of a crash.
Dealers will update the SJB software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 19, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 210.
Campaign 21V749000 on NHTSA.gov
Parking brake, indicator lightJun 5, 2017
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Sonata and Genesis vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the warning light to indicate that the parking brake is applied may intermittently not illuminate in the dash due to corrosion in the switch.
If the parking brake indicator is not illuminated when the parking brake is applied, the driver may operate the vehicle with the parking brake partially engaged, increasing the risk of a crash.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the parking brake switch, free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-671-3059. Hyundai's number for this recall is 164.
Campaign 17V359000 on NHTSA.gov
Visibility, sun/moon roof assemblyOct 11, 2016
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Sonata Hybrid vehicles manufactured December 8, 2014, to August 18, 2015, and Hyundai Sonata vehicles manufactured May 28, 2014, to March 18, 2016, equipped with the panoramic sunroof option. Due to a bonding issue with the sunroof wind deflector, the sunroof panel on the affected vehicles may detach while driving.
If the sunroof detaches from the vehicle it could become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will repair the wind deflector anchor plate, free of charge. The recall began December 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 152.
Campaign 16V726000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bagsAug 24, 2016
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2016 Sonata vehicles manufactured March 28, 2016 through April 12, 2016. The affected vehicles have a driver-side frontal air bag that may not adequately protect the driver's neck from injury in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
A frontal air bag that does not adequately protect the driver's neck may increase their risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 148.
Campaign 16V615000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, frontalApr 21, 2016
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Sonata vehicles manufactured May 29, 2014 to February 11, 2016, 2017 Elantra vehicles manufactured January 12, 2016 to February 22, 2016, and one 2016 Sonata Hybrid vehicle manufactured October 15, 2015. In these vehicles, the driver's frontal air bag may be missing a chemical enhancer required for the second stage air bag deployment, resulting in the second stage not deploying in certain crashes. The primary stage will deploy as intended.
An air bag that does not inflate increases the risk of injury.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began on May 5,2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 144.
Campaign 16V232000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, instrument cluster/panelOct 20, 2015
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Sonata vehicles manufactured May 28, 2014, to August 21, 2015. The affected vehicles are equipped with an Antilock Braking System (ABS) warning light intended to warn the driver if there is an ABS malfunction. In the event of an ABS malfunction, the Brake System warning light will illuminate, but the ABS warning light will not illuminate. Since the vehicles have ABS malfunction lights that do not illuminate, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
If the driver is alerted there is a brake system malfunction, but not specifically with the ABS system, the driver may operate the vehicle unaware that the vehicle's brakes may lock up during hard braking, increasing the risk of a crash.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will update the ABS control unit software, free of charge. The recall is expected began on November 30, 2015. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-671-3059. Hyundai's number for this recall is 134.
Campaign 15V678000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
723 reports, newest first.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Dec 7, 2021, crash
I recently totalled my car due to "following to closely" which I didn't have GAP insurance. Truth is I signaled to go right lane when The car in front thought inwas going left due to faulty recall problem and we both went right, I lost control and hit a rail and damaged car unfortunately
Exterior lighting, Dec 6, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle with the front headlights turned on, the lights would randomly turn off causing a visibility hazard to the driver. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not contacted regarding the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 35,000.
Engine, Dec 3, 2021
The vehicle consumes an excessive amount of oil causing the engine to stall out
Engine, Dec 3, 2021
My engine has catastrophic damage due to not being notified by the manufacture about a recall that occurred years ago. Had I known about the recall, I would’ve addressed it and prevented the engine failure. It is currently sitting at a Hyundai dealership as they are working with me to try to get Hyundai to cover the costs of the engine failure. So far, they refuse. My safety was put at risk due to the car stalling out on me at any given moment. I cannot and have not been able to safely drive this vehicle therefore, it has been sitting mostly unused as I continue to make payments on it over the last 6 months. This problem is a reoccurring issue with my vehicle and others and there is a class action lawsuit against Hyundai for it, in which I missed the deadline because I just recently became aware of this. The vehicle has been inspected by a dealer and was noted as “catastrophic engine damage” needing a $7,000 new engine. The engine light first turned on about 6 months ago for me, but I was in the process of moving across the country that same week, so I put repairs on hold until I was settled in to my new area. Now that I have the time, and after the car had been sitting for 6 months, I took the car in to a dealer where they told me the bad news. It is worth also mentioning that this is the 2nd time I’ve had damage done to my vehicle due to lack of recall notice. However, the 1st time my car was damaged, the dealer was able to fix the issue free of charge. This time around, they are needing to charge me $7,000 but are pushing that I get Hyundai to cover the costs due to the reoccurring issues with these recalled engines and their failures. I regularly maintained my vehicle and kept most of that documentation, so I know I did my part in taking care of my car. This is simply due to lack of recall notice that could’ve prevented a large bill for myself and my car being out of commission and unsafe to operate without probable cause of an engine fire. Please help
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Dec 2, 2021
Car unexpectedly stopped working and became disabled while trveling 40 - 50 mph on the freeway. Complete loss of power. Danger of a collision on the freeway. All dash lights and warning lights came on. Car would not shift and would not accelerate. It was unsafe to drive and could hardly move off the road. The first year I had the car the engine light came on and loss of power. I took it to the dealership immediately. Whenever I took the car to the dealer they said there were no codes and the car was was fine. The entire time I owned the car I would lose power on inclined roads and engine light would come on and off. Last week November 18 the car stalled and could not drive uphill again risk of a collision from the rear. I took the car to the dealer they said the car was fine. The dealership has never tried to fix the problem and claimed they could not duplicate the problem. Today 12/1/2021 the car stopped operating on the freeway completely and I had to tow it to the dealership. This car has been a safety hazard within the first year and Hyundai has done anything to address the problem.
Engine, Dec 1, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at 30-40 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently stalled. The check engine warning light illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The contact was able to restart the vehicle however, the vehicle was making abnormal sounds and would not accelerate properly. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic for an oil change however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V746000 (Engine). The dealer inspected the vehicle and advised the contact that the engine needed to be replaced. The dealer also advised the contact that they would not complete the recall repair free of charge because the vehicle was out of warranty. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the contact to take the vehicle to another dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 119,345.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Nov 29, 2021
Radio doesn’t shut off when the car is turned off. Radio will freeze and won’t work ( won’t turn on or volume and other dials doesn’t work ).
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Nov 26, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while stopped at a red light waiting for the light to turn green, the turn signal was activated to make a right turn however, the turn signal was switched in the opposite direction. The contact stated the failure recurred intermittingly. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V749000 (Exterior Lighting, Electrical System) and related the recall to the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Engine and engine cooling, Nov 26, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, she smelled a strong burning odor. The engine oil warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that there was an oil leak. The dealer replaced the engine oil; however, the failure reoccurred while driving. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer twice, but the dealer diagnosed that no issues were found. The dealer replaced the engine oil again; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that upon servicing the vehicle, the independent mechanic confirmed that there was an oil leak. The dealer was notified of the failure and advised the contact to take the vehicle in for a diagnosis. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 45,000.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Nov 26, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed with the exterior lights in auto mode, the exterior lights inadvertently turned off when the right turn signal switch was engaged. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring whenever the exterior light switch was in auto mode and the right turn signal was engaged while driving. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V749000 (Exterior Lighting, Electrical System). The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000.
Other or unspecified, Nov 23, 2021
I am constantly having my oil light flickering on and off. The engine oil consumption is super high. I take it for service on time, however before the next date it always needs to be added on earlier. When the light turns on, I drive it more slowly on the highway which can create cars around me to slow down as well. I have been spending more money to get this fixed but still having problems. It hasn't been inspected by the manufacturer but I have sent to an independent service center to get it checked and oil refilled.
Engine, Nov 23, 2021
2016 HYUNDAI SONATA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ENGINE FAILURE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER RECALL, BUT CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE ISSUES. THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE MAKES UNUSUAL SOUNDS, THE COMPUTER SYSTEM REBOOTED ITSELF, THE SHIFT LOCK RELEASE WAS INOPERABLE, THE SUN ROOF OPENS INDEPENDENTLY, AIRE LEAKS THROUGH THE FRAME OF THE DOOR AND GLOVE BOX, AND THE VEHICLE LOCKED WHILE THE KEY WAS STILL IN THE VEHICLE.
Exterior lighting, Nov 23, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that she was informed that the driver’s side rear taillights were not illuminating properly while turning. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the bulbs were replaced; however, the failure had been recurring every 3 weeks. There were no warning lights illuminated. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000.
Electrical system, Engine, Nov 20, 2021
When I was at work the engine gave up with no warning and could have gotten very dangerous for me. when I called the dealership they said because my car was totaled, but when I called NHTSA they told me that they didn’t have the remedies. I just thought that was strange. I need my car to work so if I can get a response as fast as possible that would be great.
Other or unspecified, Nov 13, 2021
Please reference Hyundai Recall # 208 - Trunk Latch Release - Emergency Release May Fail. This recall covers 2017-2018 Hyundai Sonata. I have a 2016 Sonata with the exact same malfunction. Trunk does not open via any of the following: the remote key, the inside dashboard button, or inserting/turning the key manually. Additionally, I crawled into the trunk from the backseats to pull the emergency lever and that did not work either. Having a trunk that does not open from within the trunk is a potential danger. Hyundai tells me I am not covered by this recall, and I would like to have this revisited please. Many thanks !
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Nov 13, 2021
When headlights switch is in the auto position and you use the right turn signal the headlights go off then come back on. I've had this car for 4 years and noticed this a lot. Left signal is starting to do the same. Very dangerous especially when I do a lot of traveling on interstates. I think this needs to be addressed immediately
Engine, Nov 9, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled and there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle with engine failure and stated that the engine needed to be replaced. The dealer performed an Electronic Control Module (ECM) and Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign software update and an engine compression test. The engine compression test was sent to the manufacturer for approval of the engine replacement. The manufacturer denied the request for an engine replacement. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the decision was final and that they would not replace the engine since the ECM software update needed to be performed before the engine failed. The failure mileage was 122,076.
Engine, Nov 9, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The contact stated that no warning lights were illuminated, and no oil leakage was detected. The contact stated that her husband checked the oil level and discovered that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who confirmed the failure and advised the contact to take the vehicle to an authorized dealer. The contact also stated that the independent mechanic changed all the spark plugs due to corrosion. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for a 3-step process which the first step was an oil change. The contact was informed to bring the vehicle back after 1,000 miles however, at 200 miles the oil level was below the normal level. The contact stated that her husband checked the oil level and the vehicle was taken back to the dealer. The dealer was awaiting approval from the manufacturer for another oil change and to apply a sealant to the oil pan which was the second step. The contact stated that step three was to replace the engine. The contact stated that the manufacturer denied the second step. The manufacturer was not contacted by the vehicle owner. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000. The manufacturer was contacted by the owner and they stated there was no recourse and sent a survey via email.
Structure, Other or unspecified, Nov 5, 2021
2016 HYUNDAI SONATA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO PAINT PEELING OFF VEHICLE.
Engine, Oct 29, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving on an incline, the vehicle lost power and slowed down. The check engine warning light was flashing. There was an abnormal knocking noise detected. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that the anti-knocking device was installed in the vehicle. The contact was informed about the main bearing wear and engine replacement. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 91,000.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Oct 15, 2021, fire
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that his passenger side headlight housing had melted and become defective. While driving at 55 MPH, the contact stated that the windshield wipers failed to operate without warning during a rainstorm. Additionally, he stated that the turn signals would operate in the opposite directions of his intention. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed him that the vehicle was placed under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V749000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); however, the remedy was not yet available. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was 111,000. Vin tool confirms parts not available.
Engine, Oct 9, 2021
Driving at approximately 75 mph smoke started pouring out of engine bay dash lights came on to check HEV system and all of a sudden vehicle became difficult to control more smoke then screeching and a message to turn off engine now appeared fought with steering wheel to get to shoulder and slow to a stop upon opening the hood belt to cam shaft pulley had snapped
Service brakes, Oct 3, 2021
2016 Hyundai Sonata Limited 2.0, 62,000 miles Ive had my vehicle to the dealers 3 times for a soft pedal /no brakes. They said they cant fix it . The said they replaced the entire abs system but there is no record of it. They said they put all new brakes lines on. They gave me my car back both times and I avoided a few major accidents. They have had my vehicle for 4 months. The owner will not respond to my call or email. They said an engineer from the factory was coming wendnesday 10/6/2021 and I'm not sure I believe them.
Seat belts, Sep 21, 2021
Seat belts don't retract properly, and right rear passenger seat belt doesn't function.
Power train, Engine, Sep 21, 2021
The engine keeps stalling and the engine light is flashing. The engine burns oil every 1,000 miles and the oil light will illuminate and go away. The dealership has said they fixed the issue but the issue keeps arising with no resolution. This issues is known for all Hyundai's and they are not doing anything about it. My car has stalled out on highways and I don't feel comfortable driving it out of the state.